New slim-line ApPLite application processor for activity monitors and smart devices

Toshiba Electronics Europe (TEE) has expanded its ApPLite family with the launch of the TZ1021MBG application processor for wearable devices. Applications include a number of wearable devices including activity monitors, smart watches, smart-wristbands and smart-glasses.

There has been an explosion of interest and demand in using wearable devices to monitor activity levels, help prevent lifestyle diseases, promote exercise and improve nutrition.

Toshiba’s new application processors integrate high-resolution analogue to digital converters (ADCs) and are suitable for measuring weak biomedical signals such as pulse wave and electrocardiogram (ECG). The processor features an original low power consumption design, allowing use in wearable devices that require long battery runtimes.

The TZ1021MBG device features an embedded high-performance ARM Cortex-M4F processor and floating point processing unit. It also allows the combination of data from multiple sensors, both internal and external, to improve accuracy in a process known as sensor fusion.

Measuring just 6.70mm x 4.00mm x 1.00mm, the IC is smaller than its predecessor the TZ1001MBG. The smaller and thinner package is achieved by the inclusion of just the application processor and 8Mbit memory in the IC, to provide a lower cost, more flexible solution.

Toshiba is further expanding the TZ1000 series with the development of the TZ1031MBG, which adds a gyroscope to the IC. The TZ1011MBG, will integrate both a gyroscope and a magnetometer to the TZ1001MBG. All members of the TZ1000 series support USB, SPI, I²C and UART I/O interfaces.

Sample shipments of TZ1021MBG will start this month, with mass production scheduled to start in March 2015.